Bleach: Dark Intentions Arc: Through the Looking Glass II
Critical Information "I managed to get what I needed from Aoi.... or at least, what I hope we'll need." Megami sat in her chair, hands on her knees and eyes level with her family members. "According to her..." She explained. "The only way that ''our Ahatake can wake up is if the energy that the Ahatake from Kan'na stole from him is taken back. But the process is difficult, even for those who can adeptly control their energy." Miharu was sitting on the very same sofa now, alone. She was going over those same words in her head, the memory of just a few hours ago. Her mother had gone out to get the information she needed from the libarian, and come home quite late, Miharu having gotten rather impatient. The moment her mother had gotten home, she demanded the information. Now she was thinking it over. Lost in her thoughts as she was, she did not notice the sun was rising and her mother coming downstairs. "Miharu....?" Megami's gentle voice spoke out to her ears, and her figure walked into the living room, her eyes gazing upon the girl curiously. Miharu looked up. "Oh. Good morning Ka-chan." She said, flashing a forced smile. "Did you sleep at all?" "I slept fine...." Megami's mouth curled downward, and she stared a bit quizzically at the girl. "But you seem troubled about something.... what is it?" "Well..." She frowned, producing her Zanpakutō from the side of the sofa. "I was thinking about how draining the other Ahatake's energy is the way to revive Tō-san. You said it's not easy. But...my Zanpakutō can almost do anything. So... I think I should be the one to get Tō-san's energy back." "Oh....well...." Megami's expression turned to one of confusion. "I really don't see anything wrong with that. After all, I was planning on taking you along with me for that reason...." Miharu's face brightened slightly. "That's a relief..." She murmured. "I was worried you'd say no." "Oh! Was all that was it? If you were to go alone, I think I would've went that way, too...." Megami allowed herself to walk over, sitting herself right beside Miharu. "But, as it is, I'm in a position to help you this time. So I'm going to use every chance I get in order to get us through this." Miharu smiled. The fact that her mother wanted to help watch out for her really made her feel good. "Alright. Then we'll work hard to save Tō-san together." F "Well this is nice." A voice came from the stairs, and Miharu and Megami. "Nice to know it's all settled. Would you mind if I tagged along though?" Megami's eyes widened at the sound of the voice, and she snapped her head towards the source. It was none other than the figure of Daiyaku at the head of the stairs. "Are you sure...?" She questioned. "I don't want to drag you into this unnecessarily...." "Uncessary?" Daiyaku looked at her, sounding both amused and a little offended. "If Miharu is going someplace possibly dangerous, I can assure you I will be coming with. Besides, you all are like family to me now. I want to help Ahatake-san." This made Megami smile in gratitude. "Thank you, Daiyaku...." She said softly. "That means a lot...." Daiyaku smiled. "Of course. Which reminds me, Akiko is staying behind to watch your husband." The woman nodded appropriately. Akiko would be the one most suited to watch over Ahatake in his comatose state. With her proficiency in the demon , she would hopefully find away to lessen the disease that was within his body. It was funny that the woman's effectiveness did not show up before. But, then again, she had rarely encountered Akiko in past times... "So when do we leave?" Miharu asked. "Whenever we're ready...." To emphasize this statement, Megami allowed herself to stand, dusting herself off a little. "I'm not going to lie, you two...." She said to the both of them. "I'm no novice when it comes to heading into combat. But with everything we know, I might as well be running blind here. We're going to have to go to the Kan'na universe, and it makes me afraid to be unaware of what exactly awaits us on the other side. So I hope you're prepared to rely on yourselves as much as each other, all right?" They each nodded, Miharu looking determined. "I'll open the portal." She drew her blade. "Improvise, Kyūmu! Lead us to Kan'na!" She swung it, and it looked as if she sliced the very air in half as her own Mediō. As normal, the cold rushed out. "Is this what the portal looks like?" Miharu asked. A slow nod was Megami's response as she instinctively moved out of the way, not wanting to feel its effects directly. "This is it...." She confirmed. "Then we're going in." Miharu said, jumping in with a determined look washing over her face. She made a wide leap, landing on the pre-made path in the portal. Her mother followed, with Daiyaku taking up the rear. They ran as fast as possible, but as they moved, Miharu thought she noticed something. For a brief moment, the stranger had flashed in front of her before disappearing again, like nothing more than an image of illusion.... Demonic "Tch..." Miharu thought. "So that thing is following. It this it's wierd form of entertainment?" She shook her head. It was keeping her father alive, so she couldn't express too much distaste about it. She turned to her mother. "Any idea how long this thing goes on for?" She asked. "I can't stand being inside this place for too long." "Honey, if I could make this trip faster, I would...." Megami answered quickly. "But you have to be patient...." "Sorry." She replied, keeping her eyes forward. The more distance she could put between herself and the hooden man however, the better. "So what do we do once we get there?" Miharu decided to keep conversation going. "Do we formulate some sort of plan, or do we just run around searching?" "Miharu, I'm not your father here...." "So does that mean we plan?" Miharu asked. She sounded disappointed. It seemed one of the things she'd inherited from Ahatake was a lack of planning for....well, anything. "Yes, dear, we plan." Megami answered calmly. "Oh boy..." Miharu thought to herself. "I guess I'll leave the actual planning to you. I'm not cut out for it." ....had she intended to come here on her own without a plan? It was a good thing that Megami had decided to intervene, then. Megami remained silent on her words, continuing to make her way down the path. Inwardly, she too wanted to leave this place as fast as possible. The chilling aura was enough to freeze her very bones, and the aura was killing her resolve. It felt as if the entire tunnel was suppressing her will, as if it was a living entity was telling her to turn back. That only made even more unease creep within her heart. They kept running, Miharu adjusting much easier to the cold, clammy feeling caused by the portal. Daisuke, if it was affecting him, hadn't bothered to mention. From how he hadn't spoken at all, perhaps he thought it was better to keep his mouth shut. After a few more minutes of running, Miharu called back. "I think I see something! The exit perhaps?" "We'll find out, won't we....?" Megami muttered to herself. They increased running speed, and Miharu found it was indeed an exit...to what looked like Hell on Earth. Megami and Daiyaku soon followed after her out of the exist, Daiyaku wobbling briefly before fixing stunned eyes on the destroyed city around them. Miharu was taking time to take it all in. The sky...it was obviously night, the cool temperature told her that. But the moon was hidden behind thick, purple clouds of...Miharu didn't know what it was. Buildings were lying in rubbled heaps, nothing at all was standing. And the Hollows...their roars could be hard, their prescense merely added to the chill over the area. "Did he do all this...?" She muttered, still looking around. F Megami was used to the destroyed buildings. The civil war that had torn their own city apart was still fresh in her mind, despite it happening years ago. Her wary eyes drifted towards the distant Hollows. Their presence seemed to overtake everything, blotting out the sky with their numbers. "I don't think even he would be capable of this...." She said quietly, her billowing in the winds. Miharu frowned as Daisuke eyed the Hollows. This was like Hueco Mundo. "Since we're not going in without a plan..." Miharu said, twirling her hair. "What's the plan?" "....guess we start looking around." "I could make it easier than that." Miharu suggested. "I could use Kyūmu to "search" for Tō-san's Spiritual Energy. Sound good?" A heavy sigh escaped Megami's lips, and she closed her eyes. "Miharu, you don't need my approval for things like that..." "Oh yeah..." She chuckled before drawing her sword. "Improvise...Kyūmu!" As soon as she said these words, a large wave of energy from released in sphere on all sides moving as far away from them as possible. As soon as it got a far enough distance away Miharu shuddered. "I think I feel something." She said, sounding uncertain. "It's like something is messing with the reception, but I can just feel it." "What is it?" Megami questioned her. "I was searching for Tō-san's spiritual energy. And I think I picked up it's signal. But it's muffled. Like something is messing with my senses. A barrier, maybe." "Another one?" Megami sighed heavily, pressing a palm to her face. "One would've thought such obvious barricades would be a problem...." She lowered her hand again, looking over her daughter. "Can you find the direction?" "Yeah that's not a problem. Now that's I felt the spiritual energy, however muffled it is, I will be able to find it." Miharu nodded. "Shall I lead you there, or are we "planning first?" She put about as much distaste around the word as she could muster. Daiyaku couldn't help but chuckle. "Lead us." Megami said calmly. Miharu took off, Daiyaku and Megami following. The journey was slightly long, due to the interruption of several Hollows, all of which were killed off. Then, Miharu held out a hand to stop them, they were in front of what looks like a continuing of the rubble. There didn't seem to be anything there. "We're here." Miharu said. "All right.... stand back....." Slowly, Megami walked over to the barrier and raised a hand to press on it. However, when her palm reached, her eyes widened at it slipping through the barrier. "....ok....?" She muttered hesitantly. "I guess this is some sort of detecting barrier, then. Miharu, is there anything around us that happened to set their eyes on us right now?" "Not really." Miharu shook her head. "I can still feel the spiritual pressure, and nothing's changed. He hasn't tensed up or anything. I think we'd have to fully step into the barrier before anything actually happens." "Well...." Megami pulled her hand out, studying the barrier in front of her for a split-second. "There has to be a way to get through this without triggering the alarm. The last thing I want is to end up pinned to the ground again by one of those spells...." "Improvise, Kyūmu." Miharu murmured, and her sword began to glow a light blue. As it did so, each one of them felt like they had something cold trickling down their backs. "That should do it." She said, smiling. "I've cloaked us. Our spiritual energies cannot be sensed, we cannot be seen, heard, or smelt. It's as if we don't exist." "Convienient...." Megami cocked an eyebrow at the declaration, but didn't complain on it. "All right. Let's go in. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can leave and go home." She allowed herself to step through the barrier. Miharu and Daiyaku followed suit. The sight was an amazing one. It was as if they'd walked into water, but they were dry. It seemed to be the inside of a building, and it was certainly the most unique thing in Kan'na. Fish were swimming through the water that filled the area, and when Miharu spoke to one of them to scare it, bubbles issued from her mouth in conjuction with her speech. Several orbs of light were floating as well, attracting Daiyaku's attention moreso than Miharu's. Despite the beauty of the area however, the most noticeable thing was the giant tree. Resting on it's roots was Ahatake, looking out upon the hideout he created. "...." Megami's eyes were now focused on Ahatake, expression . She stood still, raising a hand for the other two to stop. "He doesn't notice us...." She said. "Now we can subdue him without him alerting the others. Any suggestions on how to do it?" She could use the water around them in order to freeze him.... but it was a rather risk move, and she wasn't sure if he would be able to counter it. Thus, the other two came in. Before any of them could suggest anything to her, Ahatake stood up. He picked his sword up, placing them at his side next to, the three saw with a jolt of pain, Sonoma Ahatake's own two blades. Ahatake yawned. "Megami!" He called. "I'm about to go out. It's time to begin the extermination!" Megami's voice came from the same level that the other three were in. "Have fun!" She called out, almost in a rather indifferent manner. Ahatake couldn't surpress a chuckle. The woman really had no interest in the plight of the humans. Miharu frowned. "This may sound odd...but I want to see what he's going to do." She said to Daiyaku and her mother. "Miharu, we're here to get your father's powers back, not turn his actions into a spectacle...." Megami reminded her immediately, her hands raising themselves up towards the man. Ahatake was already on the move however, walking right out of the wall. "Now we have no choice do we?" Miharu said, smiling. Daiyaku sighed. Strange how this girl usually got her way. "So, can we go watch?" "....this always seems to happen...." Megami decided to say nothing in response to Miharu's statement, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath before exhaling. It was a frustrating move. "Miharu.... when we get back, I think I'm going to also show you how to decide what's important in a critical situation and what's not." She said in a lightly peeved manner. "Let's go watch...." Miharu chuckled as they pursued Ahatake who was already far ahead. They ran in silence, neither Ahatake nor the Hollows around noticing the three pursuers. "Not sure where he's going..." Miharu thought to herself. "But I feel a mass reiatsu up there. And each of...is a powerful Hollow." Her hunch was soon proved to be right. Ahatake soon came to a stop overlooking what seemed to be a large cliff. Miharu, Megami and Daiyaku soon stopped to, not so much because they'd seem him stop, but due to the overpowering feeling of Hollow reiatsu coming from below the cliff. "Wow...." Megami immediately came to a stop, the immense spiritual energy causing her to freeze in place out of bewilderment. "I never would've thought that the Vasto Lorde would be in one place together. Their spiritual energy is....horrible....!!" "I know..." Daiyaku murmured. "Why would he come all the way out here..?" To their shock, Ahatake jumped from the cliff face, drawing his sword and he landed neatly on the bottom, where the Vasto Lordes of different designs and power were gathered. Bodies of several humans were visible, even the bodies of other Hollows. Miharu, Megami and Daiyaku went to look, not bothering to go down yet. "I think he's suicidal." Daiyaku murmured. One of the Hollows who had been sitting still as a statue looked up at Ahatake. It was the largest Hollow there, and apparently the leader of the group. "Human." It murmured, rousing the attention of the other Hollows. "No....Shinigami." It stood up. "What are you doing here?" "Why ask?" One of the Hollows piped up. "Let's just kill him. His soul smells too good to pass up anyway." The others Hollows murmured their agreement. Ahatake's eyes narrowed. "I think he's angry." One of them said, laughing. It stood up. "Don't worry kid, soon you won't feel anythiiiiiiiiiiing!" It charged at him, clawed hand outstretched. Ahatake moved in, drawing his sword and slicing it in half. His new spiritual energy was rising, everyone could feel it. The effects were immediate. The disruption of the energy from Ahatake's body had sent wind shockwaves outward in all directions. Megami had to turn her face away for a moment at the initial hit, wincing at the contact. However, she immediately understood what was going on now. The power increase had not been for simple, selfish gain. The bodies of Pluses, the overwhelming presences of the Hollows.... it was all clear now. Ahatake was attempting to save this dimension from destruction. All of a sudden, Megami felt a bit more guilty for her own motives... "What the...!?" One of the Hollows jumped back as it's friend was killed. Ahatake turned to the rest of them. "It's time for you all to say good-bye." "Cocky brat!" One of the Hollows opened it's mouth to fire a Cero at Ahatake. "Fools..." Ahatake placed one hand over his face, gathering reishi over it. Ripping his hand away from it, he summoned his Hollow mask. He raised his hand and caught the Cero, shocking the Hollow that fired it. The Cero then burst as he fired his own white Cero through it towards the Hollow that had attacked, destroying it. He kept a tight grip on his sword. "It's over for all of you." He said, rushing towards them with Shunpo. He then leapt into the air, and utilized the Bringer Lights to increase his speed still further, ripping easily through several of the Hollows. The Vasto Lordes class of Hollow was falling to him. Miharu looked on at this in awe. "So...this is why he wanted Tō-san's power..." She looked at her mother. "I want Tō-san back, but now I'm wondering. He's obviously trying to help his dimension. If we kill him to get Tō-san's powers back, doesn't that make us the bad guys in a way?" "No one said we had to kill him, Mi-chan...." Megami reminded her, eyes still gazing at Ahatake as he continued to strike down the opposition. Pink light illuminated the area as red and white Ceros clashed. "True, but aren't we still dooming this dimension to be overrun with Hollows?" She asked. Megami remained silent, her eyes closed. She couldn't answer that question, remaining silent instead. However, there was conflict in herself, about what to do. Submit to her selfish desires and give her own husband at life? Allow a future for the dying populace here? It was now a difficult decision, and the guilt was growing. Ahatake had already trimmed their numbers down by half, and any sense of the cockiness the Hollows had before was gone. "Are you all going to run?" He asked as they backed away. "Feel free. I'll even give you a 5 second head start." The Hollows did not hesitate, taking off, leaving behind only one foolish straggler. "I'm not going anywhere kid!" It jabbed it's thumb at it's mask. "You're merely playing at being Hollow. YOU CAN'T BEAT THE GENUINE ARTICLE!" It charged at him, ready to rip him apart. "You're companions at least knew what they should do..." Ahatake said, raising his finger towards it. "You all will never see the Soul Society..." From the tip of his finger burst a large white Cero, annihilating the Hollow attacking him, the Hollows fleeing, and a large portion of the landscape. He raised a hand to his face, and his mask cracked and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces. "Vermin..." "I'm thinking two things." Daiyaku murmured. "One, if we go up against this guy, we are screwed. Two, if we somehow beat him and get Ahatake's energy back, this dimension is screwed. Any thoughts, anyone?" Megami remained silent. She really had nothing to say at the moment. This was a nonverbal and inactive movement to hand the decision over to her daughter. Because her desire to pursue the man who had stolen S. Ahatake's power had been as strong as her own, it was only logical. Her eyes drifted towards her Miharu, wondering what the young girl would say. Miharu frowned. "I think we'll have to go through with it." She sighed. "These two dimensions must exist as they do for a reason, which means that leaving him to pursue his cause, even if it's a noble one, will just screw things up in the end." "...and, our Ahatake will die." Megami added grimly as an afterthought, a reminder of their situation. "Bingo." Miharu said. "So, should we begin now? If we can take him by surprise, we may have a chance. Unfortunately, the moment we make a move to attack, the cloaking will cease." Megami shifted her gaze towards Ahatake. "If we're going to strike, we're going to have to get as close to him as we can so that he'll have little time to react...." "Then let's go now. Simply moving won't break the cloak." Ahatake sighed. "It's almost time to destroy the next wave." He thought to himself. "With these new powers, this living Hell will end." Daiyaku, Miharu, and Megami each jumped down from the cliff. To what seemed like a convenience, Ahatake was standing still for a moment. He drew S. Ahatake's knife. "I'll try this next time around." Each of them took a place around Ahatake, close enough that he couldn't get away, but not so close to mess themselves up in a combined attack. "On your count Kā-chan." Miharu whispered. "On three... one.... two..." Megami braced herself, as she spoke the final word. "THREE!!!" Miharu and Megami made similar movements, lunging forward, her sword pointed directly at Ahatake. Daiyaku had immersed himself in lightning aiming a reinforced punch at Ahatake. It was as Miharu had said. The moment they made a move to attack, the cloaking was lifted and their spiritual pressure washed over him like a violent waterfall. It served as just the alarm he needed. With his increased power, his speed enabled him to escape in the only direction they hadn't guard. Up. Due to his surprise escape, each of the trio's attacks collided with each other, forcing them back in a different direction. Ahatake looked down on them with a look like irritation. "You all followed, did you?" Megami shifted her attention to the man, her sword fully materialized in her hands. She stood, stance taken and sword raised. Her eyes were staring intensely at the man, and she was ready to attack once more. She made sure to take a position in which she and her allies were still surrounding him. "Ignoring me?" Ahatake thought. "That's to be expected. I wish they hadn't followed. They're not meant to be my targets." "Megami, I have an idea if you're open to it." Daiyaku said, not looking at the woman, keeping his eyes focused on Ahatake. "Our only goal is to drain our Ahatake's energy from this Ahatake. We'll need a sufficient distraction, and I can provide one." Megami nodded, not daring to take her eyes on her foe. "Make sure you don't get terribly injured while doing it, either." "Not a chance!" Daiyaku said. "Shindō number 30, Kage Bunretsu!" . At these words, he split into at least a hundred different clones of himself. "Clones..?" Ahatake was surprised as each and every of the hundred plus clones leapt towards him, various techniques forming. He raised his Zanpakutō as every attack collided with him. Miharu made her move at that insant, taking the opening, her Zanpakutō transforming into a whip on her command. She swung it, the whip flying forward through the smoke caused from the techniques that collided. However, the whip was repelled immediately. When the smoke cleared, Ahatake wasn't standing there, only a glowing barrier. In that next instant, each and every one of Daiyaku's clones were annihilated. "Oh no...." Upon the sight of the clones destroyed, Megami knew she had to act. It wasn't a method she would normally use due to its inhumane and cruel nature. However, she knew that if she didn't do this, she would be costing her husband his life. She held the blade horizontally in front of her, free hand grabbing the blade tightly. Then, her eyes clenched shut, she ripped her palm across the blade, pain shooting through her hand as the sharp ice cut through her skin. As she lowered her hand, the blade itself began to take on the properties of blood, the spilled red liquid seemingly dissipating into thin air. However, her body was glowing with a bright red aura. Ahatake looked down at this spectacle. "Blood control. Amazing indeed." His feet began to glow with bringer lights, and he propelled himself downward toward's Megami. "My apologies." He said as he neared her, swinging his blade down. "Toku Haku." Using the barrier he'd created previously, it shattered, falling down towards's Megami like glass rain. Daiyaku, who had just recovered from the daze of having his clones destroyed, launched himself towards Ahatake, coated in electricity. Ahatake's reply was to quickly elbow him in the gut, and then kick him back into Miharu. Megami acted quickly, rolling out of the way in order to avoid being cut. The shards of the barrier fell to the ground, shattering even more into unseeable pieces. On completing the roll manuver, she landed in a crouch position and extended her hand outwards towards Ahatake. The reason her ability was so dangerous was not simply because it was blood control. It was because of its reach, how versatile it could be to her and how dangerous it could be to her opponents. This was her Bankai, the one power she held within her in order to satisfy her pacifistic nature. But this time, she knew that there was no other option. If she didn't do this, she would be costing her husband his very life. Therefore, she would rip away all control and will that Ahatake had in fighting. She focused. The effects were immediate. Ahatake stopped moving, his mind losing control over the body. He was now in her'' hold, helpless and effectively at her mercy. "W-what...the...hell...is this!?" Ahatake struggled, trying to make a movement, but found himself unable to. "What...did...you..do?" "Blood control...." Megami answered him, moving her hands slowly in a downward gesture. "Much of the body is made up of water, and as such, an opponent or multiple opponents can be controlled. This is my Bankai, and it's a frightening one. I didn't think I'd have to use it on you.... but, this is too urgent of a situation." As she motioned downward, Ahatake was sent floating downward while still being kept within her hold. "Now, Miharu!!!" Miharu charged in, her whip glowing now as she neared the immobilized Ahatake. "This can't be happening..." Ahatake thought as the young girl moved closer. "To save my dimension, I need the power they're trying to take.... I can't let things end like this..." Miharu swung the whip forward, and it wrapped around Ahatake's already immobilized body. "Now!" Miharu thought, the whip began to glow blue. She grinned. But then she felt nothing. No spiritual energy being drained away. "W-Why isn't it working?" "I..." Ahatake began to speak slowly, and, instead of draining, his spiritual pressure was rising. "I will not let you stop '''ME!" He let out an unearthly yowl as white liquid spurted from his eyes, mouth, and nose, condensing into his face in mask form. "You will not deprive my dimension of a fighting chance!" He easily broke out of the whip binding him, snapping it, and launched himself toward's Megami, his rage overcoming her Bankai as he raised his fist and swung it at her face. Now her face was contorted to one of horror. Immediately, she extended her hands again just in time to keep the fist from hitting her, her control freezing her in place. However, she immediately found herself struggling against an overwhelming force, and her control over him was weakening rapidly. "I can't hold him....!!" She thought fearfully, staggering back a few steps. No longer bothering to speak, Ahatake swung his hand forward, and, instead of firing a Cero beam, threw a condensed ball of spiritual energy, similar to a Bala, but with all the pain of an full out Cero straight towards Megami. Daiyaku coated himself in electricity, launching himself towards Ahatake in a bid to take him down while he wasn't looking, only to be greeted by a backhand smack to the face, sending him skidding across the ground. "Damn..." Miharu muttered, looking around at her mother and boyfriend being beaten. She gripped her Zanpakutō. "BAN-" Ahatake's fist to her stomach cut her off in midsentence, and he quickly kicked her over beside Daiyaku. He then began to rise into the air, and, when he thought he'd gotten high enough, he began to charge a large black orb with light green outline. He was going to finish them with a Cero Oscuras. Megami lay on the sands, eyes shut tightly as the ball of death was formed above her. There was no question about it. They all were going to die, their bodies lost in this dimensional hell. She didn't have to look in order to feel the terrifying energy forming above her. She simply turned her head away, too weak to get up. She couldn't move, even as the beam was launched towards her and her kin. Then.... she felt a cold aura overseep her, a feeling that made her jolt open her eyes out of surprise. What she saw was truly baffling. The beam had disappeared without warning, and there was a lone figure standing at the mid-point between them and their would-be killer. She could make out a trenchcoat, , and a red hood. His back was facing them, and he appeared to be staring down Ahatake. Only Ahatake and Miharu had seen him... It was the stranger. Vengeance Seal "My blast..." Ahatake thought, shocked. "That...thing stopped it..." Miharu looked on at it in surprise. "You...I knew you followed us." It didn't respond, didn't move. It simply continued to stare at the lone man, the one who could be known as the saviour of the Kan'na dimension. No moves were made to attack or defend. However, it stood like a brick wall between the two sides. As Megami slowly rose to her feet, she looked on with surprise. Who was this? "You're in the way." Ahatake said, gripping his sword. "Move!" Daiyaku looked up, having been dazed again from getting attacked, and his eyes widened as he took in the new arrival. Was this someone come to help? He couldn't tell. In a show of defiance, the figure did not move an inch. "Fine, DIE!" Ahatake cried, swing his blade, forming a large, square, nearly transparent barrier around the man. There were also several holes on each face of it. He used Toku Haku to form several sharp barriers. He swung his blade, and each of the barriers slid into the holes of the square barrier, stabbing the flesh of the man as they did so. "Akuma Semeku Bō." At first, it seemed to work. The man hung his hooded head low, the spikes jutting through the body cleanly. No more defiance was within his stance, and he didn't appear to be breathing. However, there was no blood. Instead, there was an acid-like smoke forming from the wounds delivered. If one inspected closely, they could see that the spikes were withering away. However, it was clear that it didn't just need a close look. The decay of the spikes was increasing, the smoke separating and eveloping each one. Soon, they were disintegrated completely, leaving only the stranger to stand again. It did not stop there, the smoke acting like a parasite on the box around him. Within moments, the box was disintegrated, and it was back to square one. Raising his head up, the stranger started to flow slowly towards Ahatake, raising a hand out. Upon its silent command, a sword seemingly made of a black energy was materialized and formed within his hands. Ahatake jumped back, reaching for the Riyūhōchō. It turned into the blob of swirling Giji Riyū, and he sent a large wave of the substance towards the man. This thing had the power to dissolve spiritual particles and could combat reason. If this man was a spiritual entity, he was as good as dead if it hit. All he had to do was finish this attack. For the very instant, a hand grasped one of his wrists for a brief second, before... SMACK! That wrist let go and smacked into Ahatake's face, sending him rocketing away from their position several miles away from their position. The blow was enough to resonate a massive shockwave within the air, reaching down to hit the group. Megami was forced to raise her arms up in order to shield herself from the winds. "Oh my god...." She thought, horrified at the insane display of strength that the stranger had just displayed. "W-what is this guy?" Miharu thought, witnessing the strength this ragtag person possessed. "He just knocked him away...for miles!" Ahatake staggered up, his mask broken completely, save for a bit around his right eye. From that one punch...his legs felt like jelly. It had also given him a chance to sample the man's spiritual energy. It didn't feel like spiritual energy at all. Whatever it was, it felt like it was trying to repel him from the man. "Damn..." He thought, regenerating his mask as much as possible. "What ''is this guy?"'' He floated up, trying to get a view for the where he was. "Where'd he go!?" He didn't need to look further. The man was walking towards him steadily, blade in his hand and readied in that same lowering position he had it in before. His gait was slow and purposeful, and there was no sign of amusement or disdain at the strength that was displayed. With the hood masking his face, no emotion could be shown. He was simply a shadow stepping towards his opponent. As Ahatake raised his hand, firing a Cero straight at him. As he did this, Daiyaku turned to Miharu and Megami. "This could actually work in our favor." "How?" Miharu asked. "If that...thing tires Ahatake out, you can drain him without any resistance! It's perfect." Once again, it seemed as if the flick of the wrist was a simple indication to move. Before the reishi even left his palm, the man appeared right behind him, within a terrifying millisecond. The only sign of his teleportation was a cloud of smoke that had erupted where he had stood and where he was standing now, both clouds having dissipated quickly. "Damn...!" Taking Ahatake by surprise still proved to be difficult, especially with this man's spiritual energy that alterted Ahatake to him so well. He vanished in a blast of cold, himself appearing behind the man, and he swung his blade at him. All the man had to do was raise his sword hand up in accordance to the location it would hit. Their blades connected. But they didn't just collide. As their blades clashed with one another, Ahatake's blade shattered into nothing but complete fragments, leaving only the hilt behind. If the man acknowledged this, he didn't show it, not moving from his position. Ahatake's eyes widened as he witnessed his blade, his partner, get destroyed. He could feel her pain as the blade shattered. "Damnit..." He thought. "I can't win...it's really over." Out of nowhere, Miharu's sprung, her Zanpakutō still in it's whip form. "NOW!" She thought, swining it so that the whip wrapped around him. It began to once again glow blue, and she could feel the spiritual energy of her father seeping into it. It would not be the end of Ahatake's troubles. SHURCK. The man's blade plunged through the chest cavity at a non-lethal spot, running cleanly through Ahatake's body and out the back. It happened in a simple twist of the stranger's body, and a thrust of his sword arm. Now the man was face to face, directly in front of his target - and yet, that target could not see underneath the darkness within. If he did, he would've known if his mouth was moving to speak. Which would've been helpful to identify who was speaking the words within his own head. "I have attempted to destroy the balance between the dimensions of the afterlife." It was his own voice that spoke to him. "Because of my selfishness, I was willing to defy the commandments set by the forces superior to that of my own presence. I am guilty of attempting to inflict terrorism in the balance. Because of my destructive behavior, I will now be subject to appropriate action." They were chilling words to be spoken. But it was the very fact that his voice was speaking the words was the nail in the coffin. "What is this!?" The pain he could feel from the blade piercing him was nothing compared to the terror beginning to overwhelm him. He could feel the whip slip off him, and his spiritual pressure significantly weaken. He had lost...everything he was trying to gain. Miharu jumped back, away from them both. She then turned her attention to the Monitor. "Are you going to kill him?" The man did not respond. Instead, Ahatake found his environment being enveloped in complete and total darkness. There was no one there anymore - no stranger, no Miharu, no anything. He found himself falling as if he had jumped and was descending from a massive cliff. There was no control over his body, no weapons, and no powers. He was vulnerable and helpless, trapped in the prison of neverending darkness. In his ears, he could hear the moans and cries of many others who had tried to follow his example and failed. "You will know that I am the Monitor...." A whispering voice came to his ears one last time, before his consciousness was overwhelmed. "....when I lay my retributon upon thee." ---- ....as the Monitor pulled the blade out of the dissolving body, it disappeared as well. Then, without another word, he turned and walked off into the distance, not even acknowledging Miharu's presence. Miharu backed away. What he had just done was completely unnecessary. She frowned. Not much she could do now. She stood there for a moment in a prayer-like stance, and then took off, running back to her mother. She panted as she slowed down, standing in front of them. Her Zanpakutō returned to sword form, and she held up a swirling, crackling ball of energy, as well as Ahatake's two weapons. "I've got them. And, Kan'na Ahatake...he's dead." "You managed to kill him?" Megami asked immediately, in a tone of confusion. She stood up, walking briskly to Miharu in order to check for any serious injuries. "No..." Miharu murmured. She sounded rather upset. "That man...the Monitor, I can only assume...sealed him off." "...so that explains the power he had...." Megami confirmed in realization, folding her arms across her chest. "Aoi managed to tell me a good deal about him. He's basically an emotionless and powerful being that watches the balance between the Sonoma and Kan'na dimensions. I guess.... what K. Ahatake was attempting to do was interfering with his duties. That's why he got punished so severely." "I hope he gets out of there eventually." Miharu said, looking over the rubble of the dimension. "His intentions weren't bad, it was just the way he went about them." Hope was both encouraging and foolish. At that moment, only one trait was what that very hope could hold for Miharu. Of course, her mother, being the kind soul that she was, would not confirm what it was. Instead, she placed a hand on the red-haired girl's shoulder and joined her to stare at the newly created ruins. "I wonder what this would mean of the ones that helped him..." She said softly, eyes glimmering with compassion. "After all, he did have a wife of his own...." "I hope the Monitor doesn't go after them too." Miharu murmured. "But I don't think we should stay around and find out. This isn't our dimension and the sooner we get out of here, the better." She swung her sword wordlessly, opening the Meidō, the rush of cold air which was now familiar to all three of them. "Let's move." She said, jumping into the Meidō, quickly followed by her companions. Over where Ahatake had been sealed, there was something that had escaped the notice of the Monitor, and Miharu. A sword hilt was lying on the ground, with the blade reforming far faster than normal. In the silence, a young girl with white hair formed next to it, looking down at the blade with a defeated look on her face. She picked up the still healing blade and started to walk, the only words that escaped her lips being: "Master..." Aftermath As Miharu and the rest jumped out of the portal, Miharu let out a shriek of delight. "It is so good to be home!" She said, breathing in the air of their own world. "If someone EVER hears me wishing I could go to another world, slap me." "Easy, Mi-chan!" Came the predictable chiding response from her mother, as she too jumped out into the portal. She herself, however, could not deny the feeling of familiarity and relief overcoming her upon stepping into her own dimension. It was a relief, considering the ride back was less than pleasant. If she were a lesser woman, the chilling feeling would've given her nightmares for the rest of her life. Daiyaku sighed. "It really is good to be back though." He never really knew how much he could miss the sun. They walked into the yard, but the moment they set foot, alarms started to blare, screaming "INTRUDER, INTRUDER" and the door burst open, a Jūgeki Byakurai spell shot from Akiko barely missing them all. "O-oh." The red haired woman looked shocked and embarrassed. "It's you guys." "....nice to know that your alarms are still working." Closing her eyes, Megami raised a hand to brush away the ash that had been created due to the heat grazed one of her sleeves. "You can turn them off now. The problem's taken care of now..." She snapped her fingers, the barrier, which had been invisible, now shattered around them. "Sorry about that, but with Ahatake unconscious, I kind of re installed quite a few barriers." She made a mental note to take them all down later. "You guys got back his powers?" Miharu held up the orb, which she handed to her mother. "Yeah, we got back Tō-san's powers and weapons. I'll let Kā-chan heal him though, since I'm not exactly sure how one puts someones entire spiritual power back into them." They stepped into the house, walking into the room where Ahatake still lay unconscious. With the orb in her hands, Megami held it over the man's prostrate form, her hands on both sides of it. It was not long after that the energy within the orb began to spread, and the orb lost its spherical shape. It began to expand, enveloping the body in an illuminant glow. Her eyes were concentrated, and her breath was somewhat held as she worked. The spiritual energy seeped into his body and began to merge from there, leeching onto his cells as the energy returned to it's proper vessel. His body began to warm up, and, after a moment, his eyes opened. She had done it. Ahatake had returned to the land of the living. The tenstion lifted off her shoulders caused the red-haired woman to fall to her knees, exhaling a breath she had not known she was holding. It had taken all of her patience and determination in order to not give up in the efforts. But they had done it - her husband was brought out of the comatose state he had been put in by his counterpart. Ahatake sat up slowly, wincing. "I feel like crap..." He muttered, looking around as slowly as he had sat up. "Megami? Miharu? What happened to me? Last I remember, I got stabbed...then everything goes black from there." Akiko frowned that her own brother did not take her into account, but let it slide. She'd punch him when he was more awake. Daiyaku merely chuckled. He wasn't a full member of the family yet, so he hadn't expected to be noticed. "Alot actually." Miharu said, sitting cross legged. She launched herself into a long winded explanation, starting from how Ahatake was drained of his spiritual energy by the other Ahatake, then he was put into a coma by the Monitor, how Miharu, Megami, and Daiyaku had traveled to Kan'na, and exactly how it had all ended, complete with the details only she'd seen with the Ahatake vs the Monitor. Ahatake was slightly wide-eyed at the end of it. "Damn...all of the action happens while I'm asleep. Either way, I can't thank you guys enough. I'd still be in the comatose state if it wasn't for you." It was then that Megami raised her head up, putting on a smile and raising herself up again. She reached over to give her husband an affectionate hug before releasing him. "I'm just grateful it worked...." She said, folding her hands in front of her. "I am too." Ahatake said, standing up and stretching. "I'm going to go outside and get some air. Feels like I haven't moved in days." He walked outside, looking around and breathing in the air. It was an odd feeling really, having been left out of the action. Then again, he hadn't been able to defeat Takahashi either back then. He sighed. It felt really odd, when he took the time to remember way back to when they fought the Sight Jacker years ago, he had been out there fighting. Now it seemed his daughter was doing the job better. This new generation is going to make for an interesting story. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a white flash, and turned, but saw nothing. He shrugged and walked back into the house. Unbeknowst to Ahatake, he was being watched. A young girl with white hair and crimson eyes sat on a tree branch, watching him intently. "Master..." END